Construction noise management plan – potential abatement and construction noise prediction for the building application process

Whether new construction, reconstruction or demolition work – the one thing they all have in common is unavoidable noise. It is the operator’s (“building owner’s”) responsibility to make all necessary provisions so that any avoidable noise would best not occur at all; or, if such noise is coming up, to bring it to an immediate end. Unavoidable noise must be reduced to a minimum, certainly with moderate measures. Full and timely information of residents is an important aspect for mutual understanding and consideration. As a matter of fact, it will be most helpful in the majority of cases to involve the competent authority at an early planning stage as, by doing so, the risk of official orders and regulations during the construction activities may well be reduced.

The relevant specifications for managing and evaluating construction noise are the German Federal Immission Control Act (BImSchG) and the General Administrative Regulation on construction noise control (AVV Baulärm). In the AVV Baulärm there are different exposure limit values for various types of areas, ranging between 45 dB(A) and 70 dB(A) for daytime hours. For construction sites in mixed-used developments a guideline value of 60 dB(A) has to be kept. In addition, the AVV Baulärm lists necessary measures to be taken to avoid noise generation and it defines the procedure needed to determine the actual noise level on site, the so-called rating level.

An early preparation of an immission forecast on construction noise (construction noise forecast) means active conflict prevention and is conducive for coordinating expectable official regulations at an early stage – ideally even prior to the call for tenders for the building work. If it is foreseeable that the construction project will be a noisy one a construction noise management plan including construction noise forecast is mandatory; this particularly applies for construction sites in/close to residential areas or in the vicinity of areas requiring special protection such as schools or hospitals. Very often this is already demanded by the responsible building supervisory authority during the building permit process.

Müller-BBM experts provide advice to building owners, but also to the construction companies, i.a. when it comes to prepare construction noise management plans and they run the necessary immission forecasts. Thus, official shutdowns or times of construction standstill can be avoided in most cases and noise abatement measures, if needed, can be reduced to necessary and adequate minimum levels.

If you want to, you can also count on our support in the elaboration of tender documents and specifications, so that required mitigation measures would already be part of the bid – as optional services if applicable – rather than leading to subsequent additional claims.

Immissions forecasts for noise and vibrations for your customized construction noise management plan

 

Constrution noise management plans for conflict prevention in noise construction projects.

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